SARPE Surgery

Message

Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:23 am

Congrats badbite (maybe not for long now though

)! Glad it went well.

I never thought about the symmetry until I had to sign the consent form listing all the possible risks

- but thankfully I am fully symmetrical still. That risk is very small though, so don't get preoccupied with it.

I was pretty lax with my cleaning the first few days (ok, the first week! I feel so ashamed

) - mainly because of the numbness which meant weird sensations whenever I brushed. I couldn't stand that for too long to brush well. I was given a Corsodyl mouthwash that I had to use 3 times daily for a week to help with the cleanliness, and that makes a hell of a difference, so I'd say get some if you don't already. It's incredibly minty which leaves you feeling incredibly clean

And just try and get back to brushing normally as soon as you feel up to it.

My ortho was shocked at how much swelling I had- so I guess we're opposites on that one. I even had more swelling that some people on here who posted pics after their majoy ops.- so I dread to think how much swelling I'll have when it's my turn for that. My bruising developed quite late on, and it was only where they'd taken my wisdom teeth out so pretty minimal which was good.

Good luck with the recovery, and keep us posted. You'll be a gappy soon, like us

#797 Post by **sauerkraut** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:22 am

Congratulations, badbite. So glad to hear things went OK.

I know just what you mean about the mucky mouth feeling. I wasn't allowed to clean my teeth at all in hospital, and had to rinse with herbal tea only

. I was so glad to get home to my soft baby toothbrush and decent mouthwash!

jrp31: my congrats on the expander removal as well. I'm sure my day will come fairly soon and I'm already a bit nervous about it. I had perio disease and I have severe gum recession so I'm convinced when they pull the expander off all my top teeth will go with it! Oh well, at least that would save me the time in braces.

#798 Post by **badbite** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:34 am

Okay, This is really beginning to suck. My face feels like a punching bag. I am extrememly stiff. I envy anyone who is past the healing stages of SARPE.

jrp31, Please tell me this will go by fast.

crazybeautiful, I know what you mean about dreading the "Major Op." I can't even think about that right now.

sauerkraut, Thanks for the support.

I already have a gap. It is only tiny (about 1mm), but it feels like my face is being streched to its limits.

I hope this gets better soon.

#799 Post by **sauerkraut** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 7:53 am

Badbite, I do sooo know how you feel! I remember starting a thread a few days after my op along the lines of "I'm tired of this game now!" But it does pass, honest, and bit by bit it will get better. Just take it easy and don't be afraid of using painkillers if they help.

Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:44 am

It'll pass soon enough. I was fine as soon as I could sleep on my side again- that was a sign for me that I was well enough recovered, lol. I was given meds that made me feel tired all the time, so after the first week when I wasn't to take anymore, I felt a lot better.

I was so swollen I couldn't even move my top lip or cheek to look at my stitches but I wasn't in any real pain (apart from it all being a pain in the arse, if that counts

)- but a few nights well into my expansion I woke up in pain in my gum line where the stitches were. Ouch, that really did hurt! But this isn't necessarily going to happen to you

I forget, how much approx. expansion do you need, badbite? Are you turing twice a day after Wednesday? I turned morning and night for 4 weeks (originally 3 but I didn't get enough expansion in that time)

sauerkraut- I know what you mean about the expander removal. I am so paranoid it won't come off so easily. Plus, my ortho doesn't seem to understand the words 'Ouch, that hurts!' so I know she won't be too gentle with me when I get it removed

Plus, because the expander isso invasive and just a bulk in your mouth, I don't feel a flimsy little TPA will keep my palate in its new position

Paranoid, paranoid....

jrp31- I'm worried about extractions in general as I've read a few times here how it makes people's faces look sunken , so I'll be paranoid about that as well. But if I must have extractions (and from the sounds of it I do), better my useless teeth than any other. Although removing them won't creae any more space as they aren't in the immediate gum line, rather, above my other teeth!

I'll have to have a talk to my ortho when I see her next...

#801 Post by **badbite** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:18 am

Boy, I am feeling so much better day five after SARPE. The weird thing is when I am talking (or trying to) my front teeth feel spongy. I am not sure if they are a tiny bit loose or if the feeling is coming back or both. I am down to only I bruprofen now, but I still have a tooth (or teeth) that I think I broke clenching on the expander before surgery. OUCH, they have been the most painful part of this.

crazybeautiful, I am not sure how much expansion I need. My expander is 11mm max. I am guessing I'll need close to that. I don't now how much I'll be turing either. I guess the OS well tell me how much each day until Tuesday when I see the ortho. I want to turn as much as possible. Is each turn 1/4 mm or 1/2 mm?

Hey all SARPE people, how many days utnil you blew your nose? Today I blew very very gently and saw a very little red, but I can't stand it anymore. I haven't had any nosebleeds.

Is anyone else getting SARPE soon or just had it done?

#802 Post by **crazybeautiful** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:09 am

Hmm, I dunno abot nose-blowing. I never had a pressing need to blow my nose early on, so I didn't really think about it. My nose did bleed when I had to go to see my ortho because of the walking and the weather combined I think (as you may or may not know, England isn't a place to enjoy the sunshine

), but it was never a full-on nose bleed.

#803 Post by **sauerkraut** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:09 pm

Glad things are improving, badbite.

Yes, my teeth felt spongy (still do), I think that's just what happens when they're moving around.

I didn't dare blow my nose for at least 3 weeks post-SARPE. I get nosebleeds very easily at the best of times so I was very cautious! I was also told to sneeze (if I had to) through my mouth but I've been doing that for years anyway.

Update on me for those who might be interested: I had a routine appt with the ortho today. He reckons he'll start thinking about removing the expander in a couple of months or so. Ho hum. He also still seems fairly certain I'll need lower jaw surgery at some point down the line. Plus I'll need one extraction. This orthodontic lark is starting to feel like Hotel California. You can check in any time you like but you can never leave!

#804 Post by **badbite** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:52 am

sauerkraut, That is terrible news. A couple of months or so - that could mean two or six! I hope you can get it out soon. I have had mine for not even two weeks and can't stand it anymore. Can't you get a TPA thingy? I hope my ortho lets me get one.

I am feeling better today though. It is funny because today I feel better, but I have bruises all over, so suddenly everyone has sympathy for me (I do daycare and had to go back to work immediately).

So I am to only turn once a day until I see the ortho on Tuesday. That stinks because I want to hurry. I know I'll have lots of expansion to do too.

#805 Post by **sauerkraut** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:51 am

Knowing my ortho it will be more like 6 months!

My daughter has an appointment with him in a month, so no doubt he'll take a quick look then, but he didn't want to see me properly about removing the expander for another month after that. Apparently the bone is growing back beautifully, he just wants to be sure everything's absolutely stable before he starts pushing the teeth around.

I'm not getting letting myself get too worried about it. The expander doesn't cause me too many problems most of the time, and I think I'd rather keep it than go through removal, impressions and fitting of a TPA followed by the same again for the brackets.

I understand what you mean about feeling impatient and wanting to get on with it. My way of dealing with it is not to expect too much and then I needn't be disappointed! Just go with the flow!

#806 Post by **badbite** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:54 am

My ortho is conservative like that. That is why he won't even put my braces on for a few months. It is nice to know your ortho wants the best result possible.

Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:22 pm

I will have had my expander in from 16th nov to the end of April (so the plan is, anyway). I thought everyone had a TPA afterwards, or do some people just wear the expander for longer? I'm getting a TPA anyway

I don't know when I'll be getting braced, but I already have the molar bands on my bottom teeth when I had the expander fitted so I wouldn't have to wear spacers again. They are annoying because they are just sitting there doing nothing, and it's annoying to brush my back teeth

Once you've had the expander in for a while, it will be less annoying. I know at first I got annoyed everytime I ate something because it just got stuck- but now I can easily get the junk out of my mouth- and quickly, whereas before it was a real hassle. So, though I can't wait to get it out (see my ticker, lol), it doesn't irritate me as much now as it first did.

What other surgeries are you having then, badbite? I have Class III, and I'll be having upper, lower and possibly something on my chin to balance it out (techincal name? Dunno)

#808 Post by **badbite** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:48 pm

I have a Class III, open bite, cross bite, crowding in lower and upper, and I am not sure if I am forgetting anyhting else. I am going to have upper jaw advancement. I hope that is it. Possibly lower jaw moved back, but the OS is hopeful this will not happen (I so am I). I am also missing a molar and will probably have to have a bone graph for an implant (of course then the implant).

I made a very bad decision to have a molar pulled in July because it hurt. I had already spent over $1,000 trying to get it fixed. They told me they wanted to drill a hole in the (new) crown and do a root canal treatment, but I had it pulled. The tooth looked so pretty after they pulled it. They never found anything wrong with the tooth. That tooth is what made me start all of this. I regret it soooooo bad.

I hate this expander. It makes my whole mouth ache. Plus I have at least one more molar that hurts (probably needs a root canal and crown -more$$$). I think I cracked another tooth on the expander before the surgery last week and that hurts. I am a big mess! The expander makes my whole mouth feel dirty all the time.

#809 Post by **crazybeautiful** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:04 pm

Sounds like I have the exact same bad bite as you do- but I know I definately need my lower moving back

Sorry to hear about the molar and and general tooth pain- but it's all on the way for a better bite (and I don't know about you, but for me the new aesthetic is definately something I'm looking forward to), and that means healthier teeth in the long run.

Are you getting a lot of stuff stuck in your expander that's hanging around for a while? I felt my mouth was so unclean for the first few weeks because I just couldn't get little remnants of food out!

Now I find it easy to, and feel a lot cleaner. Just swish with mouthwash when you can- and Corsodyl is really great for feeling clean, but it can stain teeth so I wouldn't use it as a regular wash- but I'd reccommend it nonetheless

#810 Post by **badbite** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:21 pm

I hate the corsodyl. It makes me think my teeth are getting dirty (because of the staining because it lets your teeth build more tarter). I brush everytime I eat (okay everytime I drink anything), but don't feel like they are clean. I keep finding food/plaque, I can't get it all out.

I have been trying to clean my mouth clean, but the OS said my gums are full of plaque. I didn't know I was supposed to be cleaning them with a Q-tip and that corsdyl. OOPS.

I floss my bottoms every morning, but wouldn't dare the top. I am afraid I'll damage something. Actually to all with SARPE , Do you floss your uppers, and how long did you wait to floss the uppers?